One and one-half cheers for Cal Bears head coach Jeff Tedford and athletic director Sandy Barbour for punishing Tosh Lupoi, the assistant coach who instructed a player to fake an injury to slow down the lightning-fast play of the Oregon Ducks.
Not three cheers, because immediately after the Cal-Oregon game, won by Oregon 15-13, Tedford had denied any faking of injuries. Not until after damning video evidence surfaced and the conference said there would be an investigation did Cal take action, suspending assistant coach Tosh Lipoi for one game.
Barbour released a statement, saying,
“We’re educators, and in that light, what we teach and coach our student-athletes is of the utmost importance. This was an error in judgment on the part of our assistant coach. He came forward and admitted it and is being held accountable.
“We have a high standard at Cal. I take responsibility for making sure that the message about that high standard and the message about our values is continually communicated and as a leader in higher education, this university does the same thing.”
Pac-10 commissioner Larry Scott weighed in:
“The Pac-10 takes the integrity of the game very seriously. Instructing a student-athlete to feign an injury is an unethical and unsportsmanlike practice in violation of coaching ethics as outlined in the NCAA Football Rules and Interpretations. This behavior is unacceptable and will not be tolerated by the Conference.”
Scott went on to commend Bears head coach Jeff Tedford and Barbour for “the forthright manner in which they have addressed this issue and for the positive example they are setting by reinforcing the importance of the principles at stake.”
Well, maybe. Or maybe Tedford has found a way to deflect blame away from himself. Time may tell.
Tags: Cal Bears, cheating, Coaching Ethics, ethics, faking injuries, Jeff Tedford, NCAA Football Rules and Interpretations, Oregon Ducks, Pac 10, Pac-10 commissioner Larry Scott, Sandy Barbour, Tosh Lupoi
Ethics Bob 
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